Back in March when we got our sectional sofa, I started dreaming about a console table. Right behind the sofa, under the (still empty!) frame collage. I’ll get on that this weekend, I’ve told myself 20 weekends in a row. (Update: We finished! Here‘s the console in the whole!)

living room karlstad sectional sofa frame collage

See the black end table in the bottom right of the photo above? If we pull that out, we can pull the sofa away from the wall and have a perfect space for a console table.

So I measured and looked up some DIY console plans and sketched a few different ideas until I landed on something doable for my beginner skill level. And because I’m a very lucky girl, I happened to get a Kreg jig for drilling pocket holes for my birthday!

birthday kreg jig

Here are my supplies: Eleven 1″ x 4″ x 8′, two 1″ x 2″ x 6′, and one 1″ x 2″ x 8′. The boards are whitewood, the thinner pieces are pine.

whitewood lumber supplies console table

I started with the top. I would show you my sketch, but I accidentally left it outside and it got rained on. Good job, me!

Measure cut measure cut. TIP! When you cut the wood, make sure that you’re accounting for the 1/8″ or so that gets shaved off by your saw. See those four pieces on top? Yep, they’re shorter! Don’t worry, I knew it was going to happen. It’s not a big deal. I’ll just trim the end of the table top to even it out.

Who needs sketched out plans when you have it put together FOR REAL. The thin 2″ x 2″ pieces will be a border.

diy console table top

To keep it from being too sleek and boring (as whitewood is), we banged it up some. Ryan was kind of freaking out the whole time (“This just feels wrong”), but he trusted my plan. Stressin’ over distressing. Our living room, with its hanging TV and shades of gray and Ikea furniture is looking mighty modern. I really wanted something rustic. So we banged the boards up with a variety of tools.

Next came the stain. I used three different stains – light walnut, dark walnut and kona – applied in layers very randomly. Some got the reddish light walnut as a base and topped with dark walnut. Some had kona and dark walnut mixed. You get the picture. Lots of mixing to give the top some dimension.

staining wood console table top

This is the underside. The red planks really stand out (I didn’t focus on putting different stain layers on the bottom), but you get an idea of how I scattered the colors around.

Then the pocket holes. I laid it out so each plank was attached to four surrounding planks – two on top, two on the bottom. I carefully screwed everything in and had a giant, almost-ready console table top.

diy console table top pocket hole kreg jig

I still need to stain and cut the pieces for the border. I don’t know why I didn’t do that the first time around. I guess I just wasn’t thinking. I also need to replace one of the planks, which completely split when I was screwing it in. The perils of cheap wood.

Once I get the top finished, I’ll start working on the base. I also need to rig some kind of trap door on the table top so we can pull a plank off and reach an arm in to get to the outlet behind the sofa. Laying on my stomach and struggling to reach an outlet under a sofa doesn’t sound like my jam.

As for now, we’re on a pollen delay. I don’t know how it is in your neck of the woods, but North Carolina was pollen bombed. Pollen-covered everything + staining wood doesn’t seem like a great combination.

Have you ever built your own furniture? Or are you putting any of your spring plans on hold because of crummy weather/breathing conditions?

PS: For the budget-minded folks, lumber was about $75 (5% off with a Lowe’s card), the Kreg Jig was $90 (had a $10 coupon and it was for my birthday so it doesn’t count!), 100 Kreg screws were a $4.50ish, the stains were $5 each (one of which we already owned).

4 Responses to We’re Building A Console Table. Slowly.

  1. I can’t wait to see the finished console table either!. 🙂

    • paige says:

      Oh man, me neither. I’m son bad about starting projects and leaving them incomplete for a few weeks. Hopefully this will go quickly!

  2. I’m sure it’s going to look beautiful! can’t wait to see how it will turn out and look in your living room with your new sectional! 🙂 Hope you will have a great weekend! Ingrid

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